Makes sense to go to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, of which 10th edition is dated 2000 (this is where those who want the official word for meeting order go):
Official in the US.
A majority is more than half. If you want something else, such as 50%+1, say so.
More than half of what?
At 17:11 +0200 20.11.2001, Olli Salmi wrote:
There are many kinds of majority: 1) ayes>noes (majority of members present and voting) 2) ayes>noes+abstentions (majority of members present) 3) ayes>noes+abstentions+absences (majority of members)
1) common here and the USA, 2) common in Germany, 3) used in the constructive vote of no confidence.
In elections, Reopen Nominations in Britain and None of the Above in the USA are formal abstentions which count as noes.
Malta just voted on EU membership. The opposition Labour Party urged people not to vote and then claimed that the result was not valid because the majority of the electorate was not in favour of joining.
Olli Salmi ---- Election-methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info
